The scenes in Kabul are shocking. After the attacks on Thursday near the airport, the city fell into even greater chaos than before. Paul Farthing, founder of an animal shelter in Kabul, tries in the midst of this drama to get his employees and the animals to safety.
The former soldier had previously started a campaign on Twitter to be able to fly more than 150 cats and dogs from the shelter. Ben Wallace, the British Secretary of Defense, had initially refused. He said that people have priority. Eventually he gave in to public pressure.
The Americans are to blame
Farthing’s attempt to get to a plane at the airport with around 70 employees and the animals on Thursday failed, however. The British lacked the documents that would guarantee him passage to the aircraft.
Farthing blames the Americans. They blocked his mission, he says BBC. Biden changed the exit guidelines two hours before the planned departure. That’s why he didn’t have the missing documents with him.
Chaos in Kabul
In an interview with the TV broadcaster, Farthing describes the situation in Kabul. “All around us were the Taliban. They shot in the air. One of them let off a full load of shots from his AK-47 right next to the window of our bus, in which we had women and children. “
When Farthing wanted to flee with the people on the bus, they were met with tear gas. It was terrible.
Departure is unlikely
The British rescue mission should come to an end on Friday, according to Defense Secretary Wallace. It now seems more than questionable whether animal rights activist Farthing with his employees and animals will still be able to leave the country before the end of the US military operation on August 31. “I can not do anything. The staff tell me it’s time for me to leave. They don’t think a foreigner is welcome here, ”he said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson shows little sympathy. He rejected any involvement on his part. Johnson told journalists on Thursday that he has absolutely no influence on individual cases. Animal rights activist Farthing has also gambled away sympathy with British Defense Minister Ben Wallace. Wallace said he had spent too much time discussing the evacuation of pets from Afghanistan. The conservative politician said on Friday in an interview with Times Radio. (SDA / what)